Results 1,201-1,220 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In recent weeks we have seen decreases in arrivals from Ukraine to Ireland who are requesting accommodation from the state and we are now seeing greater numbers of Ukrainians who choose to move on from state accommodation. As a result, my Department is currently consolidating its accommodation portfolio to ensure value for money and greater oversight. My Department is prioritising ending...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are no plans to establish a cash payment of equivalent in value to what persons would have received had they availed of subsidised early learning and childcare. “Demand side measures” (i.e. funding directly to parents) and “supply side measures” (i.e. funding directly to providers to assist in the meeting the cost of early learning and childcare provision...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was introduced in 2016 to ensure that children with additional needs or a disability could access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. Its goal is to empower preschool providers to deliver an inclusive preschool experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was introduced in 2016 to ensure that children with additional needs or a disability could access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. An independent evaluation of AIM was published in January 2024 and has informed the phased extension of AIM, commencing from this September with the extension of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Work Projects (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme was introduced in 2020, targeted youth funding distributed under this scheme has increased by 28%, from €37.3 million to €47.9 million in 2024. There are 251 youth projects currently funded under UBU. In addition, my Department has allocated Resilience and Effectiveness funding of €580,480 this year, which provides...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) does not comment on the particulars of individual transfers. The Department is currently providing accommodation to over 31,000 people, of whom over 5,500 have been granted permission to remain in Ireland and, as such, are no longer in the International Protection process. At the same time, there is currently an ongoing shortfall...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government. My Department has in place a range of supports and funding schemes to support the delivery of early learning and childcare places and services are independently operated by community not-for-profit and private for-profit providers. The level of capacity in the sector has risen...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In September 2022, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare (ELC). This new funding model supports the delivery of ELC for the public good, to provide affordability, accessibility and quality for children and families as well as sustainability for providers. Through Together for Better, my Department provides a number of schemes which offset...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department engages with relevant stakeholders and accommodation service providers as appropriate, to ensure that international protection (IP) applicants placed in accommodation in isolated areas will have access to transportation for basic requirements. The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) try to ensure in as far as possible that IP applicants are not located in remote...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was introduced in 2016 to ensure that children with additional needs or a disability could access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. In line with a commitment in First 5: A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028, an independent evaluation of AIM was...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In September 2022, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. Together for Better brings together Core Funding, the Early Childhood and Education (ECCE) programme, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), and the newly announced Equal Start. Core Funding is a grant to early learning and childcare providers...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for her question. I can confirm that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has not requested or drawn down funding from EU sources in relation to Covid-19 expenditure in the years 2020 - 2024 (to date).

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. Action 18 of the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions commits to the creation of a Children's Fund to honour the memory of the children who died in Mother and Baby Institutions, with the core aim of supporting children experiencing disadvantage in the present day. Three...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is working closely with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Department of Education to implement a comprehensive set of actions that were agreed as part of the 5 Year Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022. These actions are designed to affirm the importance that early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) settings...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 597, 599, 608 and 612 together. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) does not comment on the particulars of individual transfers. The Department is currently providing accommodation to over 31,000 people, of whom over 5,500 have been granted permission to remain in Ireland and, as such, are no longer in the International Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There have been significant improvements in the duration of family leaves for working families in recent years in line with the Government's commitment in the Programme for Government to supporting parents, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during the first year. The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: While I try to be helpful at all times in the parliamentary process, the Deputy will be aware that I cannot be involved in individual cases and cannot comment on same. The legislation underpinning the Payment Scheme - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 - specifically provides for the explicit independence of the Chief Deciding Officer in administering the application...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Artificial Intelligence (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise that officials in this Department are not authorised to use AI applications such as ChatGPT when drafting speeches or responses to PQs.